Alea Iacta Est
by Armenelos
Summary: “After centuries of secrecy... why come out with it now? Do you really think it’s wise?”


**ALEA IACTA EST - THE DIE HAS BEEN CAST**  
_**Chapter One; The Interview**_

A hard rain was falling as Christopher Schull lit a cigarette, sitting warm and dry at a table in a pub called Sweeney's, in central London, wondering, again, if she'd show up. He glanced over the letter she'd written him once more, wondering, again, if it was perhaps a joke from his colleagues, all of whom knew of his interest. That's what it had to be. He was going to be made a fool of, and yet he'd found it impossible to resist the possibility that it all just might work out. He inhaled deeply as a woman came through the door, and, after quickly recovering from the pang in his stomach, he gestured toward her. Catching his eye, she nodded and began maneuvering through the other pub goers towards him.

"Hello," she said when she reached him, shaking his proffered hand. Hanging her coat on her chair, she sat, glancing round the room.

"Something to drink?" Christopher offered as he smashed his cigarette into the ashtray on the table.

"Nothing, thanks," she smiled politely.

"Right." He nodded, and inched his chair closer to the table. "We might as well get on with it, then" he said, reaching into his pocket and laying a small tape recorder on the table between them. Switching it on, he said, "First of all, I'd greatly like to know why you've agreed to this interview in the first place. After centuries of secrecy, during which your people- for lack of a better term- have so fiercely guarded their- er- talents, why come out with it now? Do you really think it's wise?"

The woman sat in silence for several moments, brow furrowed. "I think," she began slowly, picking unconsciously at the sleeve of her sweater, "that after such a situation, one in which the lives of everyone- magical, Muggle or otherwise- was threatened- well, they deserve to know, don't you think? It wasn't just us they were after. I mean, it was us mainly," she said hastily, for Christopher looked ready to interrupt. "But everyone was at risk, really. And our world has surely been put into situations of danger like this before, and no one felt the need to come out with all of it, but we feel like it's time everyone understand what's been going on. It's what he wanted, for all of us to live in fear, to hate one another. We must do the opposite."

Christopher nodded. "And who's _we_, exactly?"

"Everyone you've read about," the woman said, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "The important ones are all there. It was a decision we all came to."

"And do you think anyone will be angry? I mean, there are those of you in other countries, perhaps, or even here in Britain, that may not be as ready as you to reveal their secrets."

"Well, they weren't risking their lives to kill Voldemort, were they?" the woman snapped. "They didn't live in fear for seven years, knowing that they were vulnerable, knowing that they, or the people they loved, could be killed."

"Some of them might have," Christopher replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Then I'm sure that some of them realize and appreciate what we're trying to do."

"All right," he said, leaning back and folding his arms across his chest. "And are you sure that the threat of Voldemort's followers is entirely eradicated? Have you any proof that his- er, Death Eaters-" he used the term with a measure of incredulity, as though he still could not believe the such a thing actually existed- "aren't still at work, despite his having died?"

"Many of Voldemort's followers were killed," she said, "and, after his death, the rest were put in Azkaban. But no, we have no way of knowing whether they've all been taken care of. Many murders and other crimes remain unsolved, and Aurors, to this day, continue to investigate them. But I'm afraid we won't know for sure unless there's another- er, uprising. I realize that's not very reassuring, but that's the point of this, isn't it, that everyone know exactly what's going on. There's no point in lying."

"No, there isn't," Christopher agreed, looking quite shaken by this news. "Thank you for your honesty. Speaking of," he plowed on, eager to offset the grim mood, "is there any part of your story that was removed or embellished in the books? For dramatic effect, perhaps?"

"No," she answered immediately, shaking her head. "All of us told Mafalda- Jo to you, of course- exactly what had happened, and she never changed a word of it." She gave a short laugh. "The story's rather dramatic as it is, no need for more."

"You are right about that. And did you anticipate the books being as wildly popular as they are?"

"Certainly not." The woman shook her head. "Never. Who could possibly have anticipated them selling 100 million copies? It was a massive shock to all of us. It put us off a bit, actually- we didn't want anyone finding anything out until the entire series was released. Luckily, no one suspected a thing."

"The first book was released, as we all now know, a couple of months before you and your friends began your seventh year at school. Why didn't you wait until you had graduated?"

"We were going to, but with it finished, we thought, why not get it out there? Just to test the waters a bit, to see how people responded to it. And anyway, there was plenty of time to change our minds, even with the books out- we could've never said anything, and everyone would have gone on thinking they're fiction. They waited until after graduation, after- well, everything was over, to put out the second."

"While the books were being released, many complained about the long wait between them. Why'd you choose to spread their releases so far apart, rather than just letting them all go at once?"

"Well, it's quite a lot to digest, isn't it? Fiction or no, we knew people would need time to process it. And, like I've said, this way we all had plenty of time to think it over, to decide whether this was really the right thing to do. We've been waiting, basically, just for this day- when they're all out, and we can finally talk about it."

"That's quite a wait."

"Ten years, yes," she agreed, nodding. "We're hoping it will have been quite worth it."

"And tell me- how is Harry Potter himself taking all of this?"

"I can't believe we took this long to get around to Harry," she said with a wry smile. "He thinks this is the right thing to do, just like the rest of us- and if he didn't I wouldn't be sitting here with you. The thing people must know about Harry," she went on, more slowly now, "is that he's exactly as he's portrayed in the books, just like the rest of us. He's not a superhero, and he's never been interested in fame or glory. That's why I'm here instead of him; he wants no part of it. He's had enough of it from our world for almost twenty years."

"Understandable, of course," Christopher nodded, "and yet you must appreciate why everyone is fascinated."

"Well, yes," she conceded. "People love a hero. They need someone to look up to, and Harry's saved the lives of all of us. He'd never agree, but he's much braver than all the rest of us put together. He knew what he had to do for a very long time, and when the time for it finally came- when everything came together- he did it. And nearly died doing it."

"Could you tell me more about that night?" Christopher said, sounding more eager than he'd wanted to. "You were with him, the night that he-"

"No," she said, very quietly. "No, I'm afraid that I can't tell you anything about that night." It was clear that, even after ten years, it still pained her to think about it.

"Of course, sorry," Christopher said, masking his disappointment, he thought, rather well, and moving briskly on to a new subject. "Can you tell me what your life's been like since you graduated from Hogwarts?"

"Well, I was employed by the Ministry shortly after we graduated," she began. "I worked as a researcher in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and, more specifically, with Aurors. My job was to do exactly what we discussed before- find out all one can about crimes that remain unsolved, and report them to the head of the Deparment and the head of the Aurors- who happens to be, of course, Harry Potter," she smiled. "Last year, though, I was offered the position of Arithmancy professor at Hogwarts, so I've been teaching since then. We've all gone on with our lives. I think we're quite normal. Or as normal as we can be."

"And do you think your lives will continue to be normal? After the story's been published, I mean."

"We all realize what this implies for the rest of our lives," she said evenly. "We know we run the risk of living as Harry's done, hounded day and night by people who simply don't understand. And we've come to terms with that. After all he's sacrificed, it's the least that we can do." She stood abruptly, collecting her overcoat from the back of her chair. "I'd quite like to stay, Mr. Schull, but I really must go. Thank you very much for this opportunity."

"Oh no, Ms. Granger." Christopher stood as well, enveloping her hand in his and shaking it warmly. "The pleasure was mine entirely." He saw her to the door. She checked up and down the street several times to make sure it was quite deserted and, as he watched, she walked just out of view of the pub's window, turned on the spot, and disappeared.


End file.
